The Book of Cook: A Culinary Adventure
by Deltyr
Summary: Meet Gillian Koch, a simple resident of Goldshire with a passion for the culinary arts. His life changes when he comes in the possession of a powerful book, leading to an adventure filled with friendship, danger, and fine dining.
1. Chapter 1

Hello there everyone, and welcome to my first piece of work to date! I've always wanted to try my hand at this sort of thing, so I thought, "Why not?", and went right ahead with it. For this reason, I apologize for any stupid editing mistakes to come! This is only the first chapter, and starts off a bit slow. However, there should be more to enjoy later on.

So let's begin the tale of Gillian Koch.....

_-Note: I do not own Warcraft, or any related places, ideas and characters_

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Chapter One: Humble Beginnings

_Flames blazed, lights flashed, and vapors filled the air. In the middle of this symphony of sound and steam stood one man, his hands almost unseen in their swift movements. In front of him was a table, laden with every foodstuff known to man, and many more unknown. His face locked with determination, he swung his knife back and forth, mincing and dicing as it went. A bead of sweat formed on his head and as it fell, he caught it with his free hand. The recipe would be perfect, the epitome of culinary cuisine. Suddenly, with both hands he gathered the mass together and threw it all into the vapors above him. As they reached the height of their flight, he spun around and grab a plate from the table, turned back, and caught each and every morsel as it fell. Grinning now that his task was almost complete, he turned toward the oven at his side and placed his creation inside. Seconds went by, then minutes. To the man, it seemed like an eternity had passed. Finally, he leaned over and pulled his grand concoction from its cave and, after a moment's inspection, threw up both arms at held it in the air. _

"_At last__!"__, he cried, tears of happiness and achievement running down his face, "It is finally complete__ཀ __A feast like no other man has seen before__ཀ"__. To this, an invisible crowd began to clap and cheer, their eulogies echoing in the small room. The man began bowing and parading the dish around. This was the happiest moment of his life...._

Through the boughs of trees and bushes on the ground, light illuminated the forest like a sea of gold as the sun rose up above the mountains. As the birds sang their waking songs and the life of day came back into the woods, a young man twisted in his bed then opened his eyes with a groan. Yet another night came and went, and with it came his recurring dream of greatness and grandeur. This had been the third time in two weeks he had the dream, and by now he found it quite strange. Shaking his head to rid himself of his weariness, he rose and began to dress for the day ahead.

Gillian Koch was a bright young man, with a head full of youthful dreams and inspiration. People found this strange, as he was already 23 and still believed the all the problems in the world could be solved if people just sat down and had a nice talk about it.

He was average height, five feet tall and close to six, but slimly built. His chestnut colored hair was reflected by his equally brown eyes, eyes that always seemed to be observing and searching. Gillian had an adventuring spirit, always wiling to try new things and explore new places. However, his real passion lay in the culinary arts, the craft of cooking. It had been his dream since he was a small lad to become a master chef and to know every recipe a man could ever conceive,

so to further himself towards his goal he became an apprentice cook at the Lion's Pride Inn at the age of 15.

Fully dressed in a modest pair of wool trousers and matching red shirt, Gillian left the cottage began walking down the path from his home on the outskirts of Goldshire so to begin the day's work. His family had since moved to Stormwind City, simply for the security they felt behind it's vast grey walls, but he had opted to stay behind to continue his work and watch over the house. Now alone on the path, his thoughts turned back to the dream from the previous night. Every other night it returned, and each time it seemed more and more as if he was really there, as if it were _real_. But last night, it was different. He had never the completed the dish before, and even now still did not know what he had achieved. That was the strangest part of it all, he decided. Not even knowing what it was or where he had been, he felt more proud of himself in the dream than any time when he had been awake. At this point, the small hamlet of Goldshire came into view, it's small buildings and smokestacks emerging from the tree line. Gillian cleared

any thoughts of the dream from his head and headed into the village.

Along the streets, citizens talked and gossiped while traders from the surrounding areas peddled their wares. Gillian, a veteran of their persistent persuading, passed most of them by. Before he could reach the end of the street though, a man he recognized stopped him and pulled him to the side. An older man with hair already greying and eyes like gimlets , Remy "Two Times" was known for his shady business dealing and reputation for repetition.

"Hey there Mr. Koch, got any gold dust for me today...for me today?", he said to Gillian, giving him a toothy grin. Gillian chuckled and patted the man on the shoulder, then shook his head.

"Sorry Remy, but not today. I'd love to chat for a while, but I really have to get to work.", he said apologetically. Remy stared at him for a moment, then gave Gillian a sad sigh.

"Such a shame....such a shame...". Giving him another small pat, Gillian walked away from the man and headed towards the inn.

The Lion's Pride Inn was the center of Goldshire culture, where all gossip, current events, and tellers of both eventually arrived. Its reputation as one of the best inn's around was well earned, and its hospitality was equally renowned. Gillian skipped in through the main entrance and wove his way through the crowd that had already formed inside, even though it was still early in the morning. He finally pushed through the throng of people and, pausing only to put on an apron that was previously hanging on the wall, headed into the kitchen. It was an old fashioned room with dark stone walls, furnished only with cupboards for storing knives and other cooking utensils, with stairs leading to the cellar where the food was kept. In the corner a fire roared under the chimney, while in front of it a tall, burlesque man patiently turned a spit over the flame. At the sound of another person entering his domain, the man turned and looked at Gillian.

"Gillian, my lad!", the man bellowed happily, "How are you?". He walked up to Gillian and smacked him playfully on the back. "Another night filled with dreams of dishes and cooking, I'm guessing?". Gillian smiled back at his mentor and nodded.

"Yup, another night, but this time I finished it!"

"Really? So what was the damned thing?"

"Well.... I don't know."

The man laughed at this and turned back to his work. Thomas was his name, and he was the head cook of the Lion's Pride. While not all his dishes were the most posh meals around, the villagers had long ago decided that by far they were the best. He was, in appearance and personality, a large man. His head covered with flaming red hair, Thomas had the same passion for cooking as Gillian, if slightly less ambitious. Now that his attention was fully returned to his work, Gillian started with his own. The morning passed quickly, filled with orders of food and the sounds of the kitchen, music to Gillian's ears.

When the sun had almost reached it's peak in the sky, Thomas turned away from his orders and gestured at Gillian, "Come here lad, I have an errand for you to run.". Gillian gave a quick nod, put down the knife he was using to cut a tomato, and gave his full attention to his mentor. "Now as you know, we have the best damned food anywhere, regardless of what anyone may say", he began. "However, even I run out of ideas sometimes, so it would seem I need to acquire some new recipes to try out. What I need you to do is just to take a short trip up to Stormwind, and check out the Auctions for any cookbooks or recipes that may seem interesting." Thomas stopped and looked down at his pupil. "You got all that, Gillian?".

Gillian, having done this more than once, smiled and simply said, "I'll be back in no time, sir."

Thomas laughed again, and gave Gillian another good thump on the back. "Great lad, I knew I could count on you. But really, enough of calling me 'sir'. I find it downright degrading.". The large man put a hand in his pocket and pulled from it a small bag of coins, which he then dropped in Gillian's open hand.

"Alright, hurry off now lad. Let's see what you can find before the dinner rushཀ"

Giving his mentor a large grin, Gillian gripped the purse and rushed outside and down the road to Stormwind.


	2. Chapter 2: The Book

Right then, here comes chapter 2, a bit longer and fuller than the first. So far I've heard good things with few negative things, which is good :) For those who are taking the time to read, thank you!

_-Note: I do not own Warcraft or any related ideas, places, or characters_

Chapter Two: The Book

The trees swayed slightly in the breeze as Gillian trudged along the road to Stormwind. He had been walking for only a short while, but the warm summer air filled his head with an intense yearning to take a nap. The path he followed was now empty, although he had already passed a few carts and people, traders most likely moving to and from the city with supplies. Wiping his forehead, he stopped quickly for a short gulp of water and then pressed on. If anything, he wanted to reach Stormwind before it became too late in the day. While Elwynn Forest was a safe haven for those who traveled there, rumors had recently sprung up of Defias activity between the woods and Gillian was not interested in finding out how much truth was in them. Luckily, as he made a turn on the road the grand city came into his view.

Stormwind, City of Kings and center of the Alliance. Gillian had made his way inside its walls on more than one occasion, but each new visit brought a renewed sense of wonder and awe. The city's gleaming walls were an impressive sight, and the towers seemed as though they could touch the sky. To the average commoner, it was the grandest sight they would ever see. _If there could ever be a perfect city, _Gillian thought,_ Stormwind would be the first choice._ He stood there for a moment, then tossed his coin purse in one hand and entered through the city's massive gate.

The city was the largest of any human city, and as Gillian looked over the crowded streets and markets he could see this fact was clearly true. Life was everywhere, in the form of merchants in their stalls, children playing in the streets, even in the large crocodile that kept the children from playing in the canals and instead on the streets. Although a man could lose himself in the endless hustle and bustle of the city, Gillian had a task set for him, so he started along through the Trade District headed toward the Auction House. As he passed through the open doors, the constant buzz of noise that permeated the city was only amplified as anxious buyers and sellers gathered around to see what rarities they could find today. While he was tempted to browse the wonders that sometimes graced some of the auctions, he made his way to the area where recipes and books were being bartered off. Money in hand, he took a seat as the auctions began.

An hour or two later, he left the Auction House with a light purse, an armful of new and exotic recipes, and a bright smile on his face. This had been one of the best days in a long while, with him buying more than 30 new recipes for Thomas to create and serve. Looking at the sky, he observed that he still had sometime before he was to head home and reaching inside his pocket, noticed the leftover money that lay there. _Well, _Gillian thought as his smile grew wider, _he can't expect me not to enjoy myself at all while I'm here . . . _Stuffing the recipes into the pouch at his side, he departed from the Auction House and explored the many stores that Stormwind had to offer.

Biting into an apple he had bought while on his small adventure, he looked though some of the recipes he had bought as he strolled across on of Stormwind's many bridges. "My, these all look quite interesting.", he mused as he flipped though the scrolls. "Strider Stew, Dragonbreath Chili, Savory Deviate Delight....". Gillian was quite proud of this last recipe, as it's price varied anywhere from 50 to 100 gold pieces, whereas he had obtained it for only one from an uninformed seller. Why, however, anyone would pay that much for a simple fish dish was beyond him. Chuckling at that, he folded up the recipes and replaced them in his bag. By this time he had wandered into the Mage District, where those magically gifted could practice their craft in peace. The usual sound throughout the city was quieter here, with only the sound of birds singing here and there. The sun had long past reached the height of the sky, and now was beginning to dip down back beneath the horizon. Gillian knew that his time was up, and he should return home, but as turned around he noticed a small, old building which looked slightly different than those surrounding it. A sign hung above the doorway which read 'The Gilded Quill', in a small but sprawling gold print. Curious, Gillian opened the door and stepped inside.

The room may have been considered large at one time, but now seemed tight and crowded. Lines of books and scrolls covered every wall, with multiple shelves running throughout the length of the room, each shelf alone filled with enough books to teach a small village. Their contents seemed varied, ranging from large ancient tomes filled with spells to the occasional picture book. Once he had a general look at the books, he began moving from shelf to shelf looking for any more recipes he could return to his mentor. After a short search yielded no results, his shoulders sagged. "This place is filled with tomes and novels, but no good cookbooks in sight.", he said sadly to himself. Slightly disappointed, he turned around and walked headfirst into someone.

The 'someone', as Gillian discovered, was an elf woman. She was shorter than he, although not by much, and was slender in shape. Her hair was a brilliant golden color and went down to her slim shoulders. Her face was equally as brilliant, or at least Gillian thought so. She was dressed in a gold and silver dress, with a small red sash around her waist. Her eyes were a deep sapphire that almost glowed, although they were now tightly shut in pain. As she hit the floor, she let out a small yelp. "Oww!"

Gillian, now mortified for striking such a pretty girl, quickly bent over to help her to her feet. "I'm so very, very sorry miss! It was an accident, I swear!", he blurted out hurriedly as the woman regained her footing. Now that he had a better look at her, he could tell that she was a younger elf, although with elves it was sometimes hard to tell. She flashed him a glare and frowned.

"I'm sure it was, although it wouldn't hurt for you to pay attention." She said curtly.

"I'm sorry." Gillian repeated, "You're right, I should have been watched where I was going."

"Well, may I help you with something?"

He stared at her for a moment then smacked his own forehead, increasing his newly acquired headache. _Of course_, he thought, _she must work here_.

"Sorry again, miss, I only came in hoping to find some recipes."

"What, for potions and all that?"

"No, miss, for cooking."

At this she raised her eyebrow slightly in an inquisitive manner. "You came into a bookshop in the Mage District", she began slowly, "looking for a... a cookbook?". He nodded, slightly abashed. The woman stared at him for a moment, then let out a small laugh. It made his heart flutter slightly. "Well, not the first place I would look, but luckily for you we do have a few. Come over here." She gestured towards the corner, and strolled towards it. Gillian followed quickly behind her, eager to see what her store could offer. The store was not extremely well lit, and the darkness of the corner hid a door Gillian had not previously noticed. Inside was a much smaller room, with a bookshelf on either wall and a ornate pedestal propped up against the far wall on which a book lay. As he entered, the elf began rummaging through the shelves, occasionally pulling out a book and either holding onto it or putting in back. He stood there awkwardly and shuffled his feet in the silence. "By the way, my name's Gillian Koch, apprentice chef. May I ask what yours is?", he inquired, breaking the silence. She stopped her search for a moment and flashed him a quick but pleasant smile. "Valera Sunmane, at your service."

_Valera... _he thought in his head. He liked the name, very much in fact. As she continued her search, he watched her and wondered how old she might be. Although she looked young, he learned as a child that elves are almost always much older than they appear to be. _She may look my age but she could be well over one hundred,_ he gloomily guessed.

Turning around, she placed a small stack of five books on the edge of the shelf, each of which had a title that sounded vaguely kitchen related. Smiling, she patted the stack and said, "Well, that's it. Not surprising there's so few, but it's better than nothing.". Gillian nodded and smiled in return, then placed his pack on the pedestal so he could place the books inside. As he turned back to pick up the stack, he suddenly heard a low humming noise coming from behind him. He turned back around just in time to see a large flash, which momentarily blinded him. When he could see again, everything seemed exactly the same, although Valera now wore a slightly surprised expression. Carefully he edged towards his pack and lifted it off of the pedestal and the book on top of it. Everything seemed in order: Water, money, recipes.... recipes? Frantically he rummaged through the pack, but it was in vain. Every single one of the scrolls he had bought was now gone!

"Where are they, where are they?!", he murmured to himself. He heard a small polite cough behind him, and he turned towards Valera.

"Did you happen to have any more recipes inside that bag of yours?", she asked in a slightly annoyed voice.

"Well, yes, but now they are all gone!", he told her, now beginning to panic. In response, she simply sighed and pointed towards the stand where the book lay. Walking over to it, he picked up the book and turned it over, examining it. It was an average sized book, pure black expect for a pattern of silver filigree across the cover. The title was written in simple block letters on the front. "The Book of Cook? That's a... Well, it's not a very impressive title." Gillian said, not very impressed. "What does this have to do with my reci-". He stopped what he was saying as he opened the book and stared at the first page. There, written out in the same block letters as the title, were the contents of his scrolls, each recipe copied perfectly down to the last footnote. After a few more long seconds he turned to look at Valera and said with a blank face, "...So it's a _magic _cookbook, then?". She looked at him, now more amused than annoyed.

"Yes, put simply it is a magic cookbook. My father picked it up from a trader a long time back, but since chefs and cooks aren't common customers here it hasn't been touched in years.", She explained, gesturing at the book as he put it back down. Gillian casually read a recipe and put his figure down on it.

"Well, it still doesn't seem very special.", he told her nonchalantly. There was a sudden rush of air around his finger and then a small pop sound. Looking down, he now saw a warm bowl of Dragonbreath Chili sitting on the book, the same recipe he had pointed at. Valera let out another small laugh as Gillian lifted the bowl, stared for a moment, then took a small sip. "Alright then," He said calmly as he wiped his mouth, "it's a magic cookbook that _summons_ food too." Putting the bowl off to the side, he picked up the book once more. After thinking for a moment, he gave Valera a broad grin. "How much?"

As they walked back towards the front, he explained how he worked out in Goldshire as an apprentice chef, and in exchange she told him a bit of her past. Her father, a literary man, had traveled the world searching for texts and tomes to add to his collection. She didn't say much of her parents; both had been killed during the razing of Quel'Thalas and she had come to live in Stormwind a good time before then. Her father had opened the store, then returned home to work in the grand libraries of Silvermoon City. She had stayed behind, partly because she enjoyed the energy of Stormwind and also to maintain the store for her father. Gillian then found out she was actually 97 years old. _Quite older than me_, he though, _but still..._

They stepped outside together, and Gillian looked up at the sky. The sun was almost below the horizon, and the stars would come out soon. "Well, I enjoyed meeting you, Valera. I hope I can see you again." He said, giving her a small bow.

She smiled in return and asked him, "Do you need a place to stay for the night? It's already late, and the forest can be dangerous.". Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she added, "It's cheaper than the inn, at least.". Rubbing the back of his head awkwardly, he shook his head.

"I would, but I need to get this book back to Thomas. He'll be ecstatic!". Giving her another small bow, he turned and bolted off towards the gates, and back to Goldshire.

The trees blurred as he sprinted down the starlit road outside the city. This may have been even more exciting than the Savory Deviate Delight for Gillian, and he picked up his pace. He reached Goldshire in half the time as before, and kept running until he reached the Lion's Pride Inn. He bolted through the doors, past the patrons inside and into the kitchen, where he stood panting in front of a surprised Thomas. "Woah lad, slow down a bit!", Thomas laughed. He passed Gillian a glass of water, who promptly downed the whole thing in one gulp.

Gillian took a deep breath, "You won't believe what I found, sir!". He then regaled his story to Thomas, telling of his tip to the city and its Auction House, and then to the shop where he found the book. When he was done, he relevantly took out the tome and handed to Thomas, who took it from Gillian with an odd look on his face. Not seeing the happiness he expected, Gillian asked worriedly, "Erm, Thomas... is something wrong with it?". The large man seemed to stare off into space for a moment, then shook his head.

"No worries, lad," Thomas assured Gillian, "This little book will just take all the fun out of cooking, that's all!" Giving his pupil the traditional smack on the back, Thomas continued, "But maybe I should keep it here tonight, simply for safe keeping.". Gillian smiled and nodded, so Thomas put the book on his table and turned back to him. "Now, you get on home lad for some sleep. You've had a long day." Gillian obediently gave Thomas one last nod.

"Alright sir, good night

His mentor simply let out another bellowing laugh and playfully said, "How many times do I need to say it? It's Thomas!"

_Strange.... No dream tonight...._

The next day was a wet one, with rain sliding down Gillian's window as he woke up. Putting on his clothing as usual, he also threw on a heavier coat to keep most of the rain off of him. On the inside, Gillian was incredibly excited to go to work today. _Today will be the first day I see that book in action,_ he giddily thought to himself. He locked the door behind him, and headed out towards Goldshire. Gillian enjoyed the rain, but was too anxious to appreciate it at the moment. It took all he had to not sprint all the way there. However, as he entered the town and approached the inn, he began to feel uneasy. The Lion's Pride was popular, no doubt, but there was an unusual amount of people steadily heading to and from the inn. When the building came into sight, he saw a throng of people crowding in the doorway. He picked up his pace and with practiced ease pushed through the group. The people were talking to one another, in low uneasy whispers, but Gillian couldn't hear what any of them were talking about.

He made his way to the kitchen, where two guardsmen were standing on either side of the doorway. Now he was afraid, and he bolted to into the kitchen. The guards did not stop him; they had seen him working here before and knew who he was. Gillian stopped suddenly, with the door swinging back and forth behind him silently. He stared at the kitchen, at Thomas. At the blood.

An hour later he was outside the Inn, leaning against one of it's dark grey walls. The inn that had once seen familiar now was dark and unknown. Gillian stared at the dirt beneath his feet as the rain fell unheeded around him. _Thomas... _

Suddenly, he heard someone yell his name. "Gillian!" Hurriedly walking down the street towards him was Valera, wearing a dark green dress with a hood to cover her head. "I heard something had happened," She told him, obviously worried, "and I came as fast as I could. I needed to make sure....". Faltering for a moment, she continued, "I had to make sure the book was alright, I mean." Gillian held her gaze for a moment, then let his head fall.

"Thomas... Thomas is dead.", He said hoarsely. Valera's eyes widened, then she walked up and gave him a small, comforting hug.

"I'm so sorry, Gillian, truly I am."

They stood their for a moment when a guardsman ran over to them and promptly saluted to them. "Gillian G. Koch?", he asked, to which Gillian merely nodded. "We found this in the cellar while conducting our search. It was addressed to you." Finishing his message, he handed Gillian a small note covered with Thomas's large writing and with it... The book.

Gillian took the book, and handed it over to Valera. He then read the note aloud as the guard ran off.

"Gillian, I hope to the Light that this note doesn't enter your hands, although if it does I probably kicked the bucked. The Book of Cook.... Heh, such a stupid name for such an important thing. But it has more value than you know, and I doubt you or I will be left alone now that you've found it. I know you're up to anything that comes your way, and you'll be able to take care of yourself. However, you need to know what this is all about, so you have to find your way to an Elf named Kylene. She lives in Shattrath City, which is a long way off from here. Still, if anyone can do this it's you, Gillian. Best of luck."

Looking up from the note, Gillian wiped his eyes. Tears or rain, he couldn't tell which. He turned to Valera, who was frowning at the note. "Something wrong, Val?", he asked her.

She looked at him and her frown deepened. "Shattrath City... In the heart of Terokkar Forest!". He gave he a look of incomprehension, so she explained, "Terokkar Forest.... That's in Outland!". He looked at her, then the note, then finally at the sky.

"Why did this all happen, Thomas?", He spoke aloud as the rain poured down on him and Valera._ Outland...._


	3. Chapter 3: The Journey Begins

Well, It's been a while since I've had time to write, but I finally got chapter 3 done and written! It's a little longer than the other two, but not much. Originally, it was going to be twice as long, but to keep consistent with length I cut it in two. But enough of that, let's continue the tale of Gillian Koch!

_-Note: I do not own Warcraft or any related ideas, places, or characters_

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Chapter 3: The Journey Begins

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_The fire flared and then subsided, leaving only an eerie glow from the still-burning embers to light the room. Shadow covered the walls, but around the fire robed figures could be seen by the light of the coals. One of these figures raised his hand from his side slightly, a small but strong gesture that commanded attention. A voice came from the depths of the cowl and hissed,"The Book... has been found.". The speaker's companions started to whisper amongst themselves, obviously excited by this news. One, slightly shorter than the first speaker, asked quietly, "So what is our course of action now?". The fire rose suddenly, and the bloody glow of the flame illuminated a small crooked smile on the first figure's face._

"_Now... Now we wait..."_

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Gillian was lost.

He was not, however, lost in the physical sense of the word. Instead, he was lost in thought. So much had occurred in these last few days that he felt overwhelmed. The death of Thomas had only made it harder, leaving him with a numb feeling inside his chest. But whatever the circumstances, Thomas would not have wanted to see his apprentice feeling this way. Gillian smiled at this thought and took some strength. Dusting off his unchanged shirt, he stood up from his chair and walked outside.

The sun shone brightly, unaffected by the irrelevant events of the world, and the sky was clear except for a few clouds. It had been two days since Gillian had happened upon the Book and since Thomas's death, but to Gillian the hours had simply blended together. Wanting to get as far away from Goldshire as he could, he took Valera up on her offer and had been staying in an extra room above the bookshop she owned. As he was standing in the morning sun, the Elf came up behind him and wrinkled her nose.

"Gillian," she began, "I understand how you must feel, but if you're going to stay in my shop I'd much prefer if you could, at the very least, change your clothes. The smell will scare away the customers." Gillian's lip curled into a small smile at this and he responded apologetically, "I'm sorry, but you don't need to worry. I won't be staying much longer."

"You're leaving?" Her eyebrows arched slightly in surprise.

"I've been thinking, and I need to follow Thomas's instructions. I want to know what is so important about the book, and why Thomas had to die for it to remain safe." Gillian replied gravely. Valera had not expected this from the young chef, and was impressed by his resolve. "Valera, I thank you for your hospitality, but after I get the supplies I need today I'll be leaving. I probably won't come back, but I'm glad I met you."

"What are you talking about, Gillian? I'm coming with you." This time it was Gillian's eyebrows that shot up in surprise, causing Valera to let out another of her small trilling laughs. "Face it, you know next to nothing about where you are headed, you aren't prepared at all for the journey, and more importantly..." She paused and then said triumphantly, "I'm making sure you don't get that book destroyed in the process." Gillian gaped at her for a moment, but before he could object Valera grabbed his hand and began dragging him off towards the Trade District. He would not let admit it to himself, but secretly he was relieved to not be alone in his quest.

The first order of business was to buy food and supplies, which took a short amount of time. The pair went from shop to shop, buying rope, torches, and other useful items. About halfway through their task, Gillian realized that with the Book, they wouldn't even need to bring food with them. Feeling slightly dull, they turned back and returned the food they had bought. When they had found a seemingly sufficient amount of gear, Gillian agreed to meet Valera back at the shop and headed towards the Dwarven District, where the blacksmiths and metalworkers practiced their craft. Here, the sun that had shone so brightly before was blocked by a constant haze of smoke as the furnaces burned to heat the metal. It was here Gillian spotted a relatively small smithy, filled with busy Dwarves running to and fro. He walked up to one standing by the entrance and gave him a warm grin.

"Hello sir! How are you this fine day?"

The dwarf, a particularly muscled specimen, frowned through his coarse black beard and glared at Gillian. "Cut tha' chit-chat, laddy, and tell me what ye want", he growled in a low, gravely voice. Gillian, who was slightly thrown off by the cold response, shakily pushed forward and told the dwarf, "W-well sir, I am in need of a weapon, and when I saw your smithy I thought might obtain one here. Might I ask your name?"he added. At the mention of a purchase, the chill fled from the Dwarf's face and he gave Gillian a begrudging smile.

"Tha' name's Thunderore, lad. Bazrul Thunderore."

The dwarf turned and headed into the smithy while Gillian followed. As they stopped in front of a large weapon rack, Bazrul turned and asked, "So lad, wha' was it ye were lookin' fer? A sword, a hammer...?". Gillian faced screwed up in thought for a few moments, and then his shoulders shrugged.

"Don't know, sir, I never really used a weapon before."

Like the last frost before spring, the chill returned to Thunderore as he gave Gillian a long, icy stare. The dwarf then picked a sword from the rack and handed it to Gillian. It was a finely crafted piece, yet simple in design. The young cook gave a few experimental swings, nearly taking off Barzul's nose in the process, then handed the blade back to the dwarf with a smile on his face. "This is perfect!", he exclaimed, looking at the sword. Barzul merely grunted in disgust and led Gillian back to the front.

After they had exchanged money for blade, Barzul stopped Gillian before he walked out and gave him a serious look. "Lad, tha' blade is not ah toy, and ye could damn well kill yourself as soon as someone else. So try not ta cut off yer own hand with it now. If ah might ask, why do ye need a weapon so badly?"

Gillian, innocent as ever, informed the dwarf in what he thought was a heroic voice, "Why, to brave the fires of Outland in search of adventureཀ". Barzul stared at him, dumbfounded, then burst into laughter. He was still laughing as Gillian left and headed back to the shop, puzzled by the dwarf's response.

As he returned to the shop, he met Valera out front and showed off his new sword. Her face was a picture of polite interest as she watched him flourish it this way and that. After he had finished, she gave him a small applause for his efforts. "You're not mocking me, are you?" Gillian asked suspiciously. Valera merely gave hi a look of innocent ignorance and shook her head.

"However, if you're done playing with your new toy, I bought this for you while I was out in the market." Valera then ran back into the shop and returned, carrying a new burden with her. As she handed it to Gillian, he discovered it was a long polished staff, carved and crafted from an ashen wood. Turning it this way and that, she explained as he examined it. "I don't know how long we'll have to travel, but I'm sure having a walking stick should make it slightly easier on you." Gillian turned to her, put his present on the ground, and gave her a giant hug. Slightly surprised, Valera slowly returned it.

"Thank you for the wonderful gift, Valera." He told her, his face breaking into another grin. The elf smiled in return and gestured to the shop.

"We should get some rest. Tomorrow we set out."

* * *

The next morning, the clouds had returned and a faint drizzle pattered on the cobblestones outside the store. Gillian woke from a fitful sleep, filled with dreams of strange skies and raging fires. Rising from bed, he put on a thick grey shirt and overtop of it he pulled on a black traveling robe to keep off the rain. From the table near his bed he picked up his sword and sheath and strapped both to his belt. He then bent over and pulled the Book from under his mattress, not the safest hiding spot. Sliding it into his pocket, he turned and headed towards the door. As he walked out, he stopped as he noticed a shine from the corner of his eye.

Turning around, he looked at the table once more and saw a knife laying there. It was Thomas's carving knife, the favorite of his collection and preferred culinary tool. Long and slightly curved, Gillian had retrieved it from the Lion's Pride before he had left, wanting to take something to remember Thomas by. Gillian's lips curved into a gentle smile as he walked back and clipped the knife to his belt as well. His business finished, he went downstairs to get his pack.

On the store's counter by the door lay two packs, one for Gillian and Valera respectively. They were filled to the brim with supplies from the previous day, and leaning on the counter next to them was the staff. Gillian swung his pack onto his back and then grabbed hold of the staff. Feeling a certain nervous anticipation, he turned and called up the stairs, "Ready, Valera?". After a moment, she responded, "Coming!" and came down onto the stairs. At the sight of her, Gillian's mouth dropped open and his mind went blank.

While Gillian finished his shopping the previous day, Valera must have been making preparations as well, and she was now wearing a set of slightly worn leather armor. While it offered sufficient protection, it also complemented Valera's figure well. _Quite well_, Gillian thought numbly. On her back a bow was slung, but Gillian didn't take much notice at it.

Giving him a slightly embarrassed look, Valera said, "It was an old set that was being sold by one of the leatherworkers in the city. I thought it would be a good idea."

Gillian, still quite stunned, said, "Mwaah.....". He then shook his head and gave her a quick nod of approval. Valera laughed at him and then, together, they walked out the door.

They reached the Gryphon Roost late in the morning, and the rain had yet to stop. Valera had pulled out a thick cloak from her pack and had wrapped it around herself. Gillian noticed her shiver, and put a comforting arm around her. Most of the gryphons inside the structure were sleeping, so the only sound in the roost was the deep gentle breathing of the flying beasts accompanied by the rain gently falling outside. Leaning near a large opening in the wall, obviously an exit for the gryphons, was a tall man with dirty blond hair. His eyes were covered with a pair of flight goggles, so the pair was unable to tell if he was awake or sleeping. But as they approached, the figure stirred and turned towards them.

"Can't say I was expecting any trips in this weather. Name's Dungar."

Gillian and the flight master exchanged greetings, and then Dungar led them over to a large map of the surrounding lands that hung on a nearby wall. "Alright you two, where are you headed?", he inquired, following a loud sneeze brought on by the chilly wind. Gillian looked at the map and then pointed to an area south of Stormwind. The flight master looked at where his finger lay then curiously raised his eyebrow at Gillian. "The Blasted Lands, eh? That there is a cursed land alright... dangerous. You two don't see to be the adventuring type."

Shaking his head, Gillian explained their reasons for the journey, at which Dungar scoffed. "I'll be honest, that sounds like a damned foolish plan, but who am I to judge? I just manage the flights."

Gillian gave the man his signature grin and said, "Thank you sir, this should cover it." He handed Dungar a few pieces of silver, who quickly pocketed them away. They spent the next few minutes going over the course they would take, the flight time, and what to do in case of an emergency ("Scream!" Dungar had laughed. "Not much else to do when you're that high up in the air."). As Gillian and Valera climbed onto a gryphon the flight master had woken and put on their borrowed flight goggles, Valera nervously sat on the back and said, "Gillian, you know I never have flown before?"

Gillian turned and gave her a comforting smile. He then said, "Don't worry, neither have I!", which quickly dispersed any comfort that had come from the smile. Behind them, they heard the flight master yell out, "Alright ladies, time to fly!", and he smacked the gryphon's rear. Letting out a loud screech, followed by the frightened yells of it's riders, the winged beast ran off the platform and rocketed into the grey sky.

The ground flew out from beneath them as they soared above the damp trees. Below them, the forest gradually changed from a blur to its normal self as the gryphon leveled out at a reasonable speed. Once the initial shock was gone, Gillian and Valera were both enthralled by the view. "Amazing... Everything looks so small from up here." Gillian said in an awe-struck voice. They soared over Northshire Abbey, where aspiring priests and paladins came to learn, and then turned south. As they passed over Mirror Lake, the pair looked down and could see their tiny reflection flitting over the clear water far below.

The flight lasted for a long time, with both passengers too absorbed with the view to speak. The rain began letting up as they flew across the forest's edge into Westfall. Here it seemed the ground was covered with and endless field of gold, with some scattered farms. Strangely, Gillian noticed, most seemed to be empty. The stillness of Westfall did not last long, and the gryphon banked to the east as they passed into the darkened land known as Duskwood.

Neither of them had ever traveled their, but both had heard of this dark forest, said to be plagued with an evil curse. These rumors seemed true as the very sky seemed to darken as they flew overhead. Most of the trees had massive webs spun between the leaves, as if some monstrous arachnid roamed among them. At one point, as they neared the town of Darkshire, Valera let out a small yelp of terror and pointed down at the road. Sluggishly making its way down the path was a huge undead monstrosity, carrying a hook in one hand and a huge crude cleaver in the other. The abomination turned it's head towards them as they flew past it, and up on the gryphon the two of them heard a fearsome roar from below. Valera shuddered and moved slightly closer to Gillian on their seat. "That... thing was headed towards the town.... I do hope they'll be alright." She said in a worried voice. Gillian could only give a small nod of agreement as they flew on in silence.

At some point they passed from Duskwood and flew through Deadwind Pass for a short time. It was a bleak and dead land, with petrified trees and the remains of old buildings scattered here and there. For a short while, Gillian swore he could see a tall spire to the south, raising above the cliffs and hills. The mere sight of it gave him a foreboding feeling, but shortly after he had seen it the tower disappeared from his sight once more. As the began to rise above a range of cliffs, the smell of sulfur and burning hit Gillian's nose in an unpleasant wave. At the top of the cliff, Gillian looked down on the godforsaken land known as the Blasted Lands.

Now the sky turned an unnatural shade of purple, as lighting streaked through the clouds. Here and there a bolt would strike the ground, but the empty wastes already looked burned, as though scorched by some unholy flame. The land seemed dead, with the only sources of life being the twisted animals and creatures that called this place home. As they flew over the crest of the ridge into the barren region, they passed over a fearful looking alter, surrounded by lava and three frightful statues, dressed in ancient, hooded robes of stone. Around the alter stood more robed figures, performing some dark ritual. Gillian did not stop to investigate, and fearfully urged the gryphon on. Luckily, in the distance their destination came into sight.

Nethergarde Keep was not an entirely impressive sight, but after a long flight Gillian was more than glad to see it. It's large, imposing walls were nowhere near as grand as Stormwind's, but they would still serve the purpose they were built for. The gryphon banked as it flew over the keep and began a slow descending spiral towards what was presumably the gryphon tower. As soon as the beast had touched down on the wood, Gillian and Valera simultaneously jumped off of it's back. Valera took a deep breath and let it out, and then said, "While that was an enjoyable experience, I think I could do with a nice lie down before the next flight." Gillian was busy rubbing his back, now sore from the flight. They both pulled their packs from gryphon as a short but grizzled man with silver hair strode towards them. He had a smile on his face, but in it was a hint of wariness.

"Not often we see anyone new here. Not exactly the ideal vacation spot, this place. General Lordenson, at your service, and I command the forces here. Mind telling me who you two are?"

Gillian gave him a weary smile in return and answered, "My name is Gillian Koch, apprentice chef, and this is Valera Sunmane."

"Ah, so the brass in Stormwind are finally answering my requests then? I can tell you, meals haven't been the same around here without a proper chef to cook them. Not since old Bernie got himself mauled by a fel boar, that is...". The commander trailed off with a sigh.

Looking slightly confused, Gillian said, "I'm sorry if I confused you, sir, but I'm not here as a replacement. This is a personal trip."

"Eh? Well, that's a damn shame. What brings you to our little slice of hell, then?"

Gillian looked back at Valera, who only shrugged, then turn to the General again. "Well sir," he began carefully, "This is where we need to be. We plan to go through the Portal."

As soon as Gillian had finished , Lordenson's face instantly became grave and serious. The tower was suddenly and uncomfortably silent. "Boy," The commander growled, "if this is your idea of a joke, it isn't funny in the least." Shuffling his feet, Gillian shook his head. Lordenson glanced between the pair, a look of anger growing on his face. "No one, and I mean no one, just goes waltzing through that damned gateway. Now you two don't look like any sort of warriors or adventurers I have ever seen, so why would you ever want to?" Valera stepped forward at this point and walked up to stand with Gillian.

"We need to get to Shattrath City, far on the other side of the portal. I know it sounds slightly ridiculous, but it's of the utmost importance."

The commander glared at her, having never heard of 'Shattrath' before. But he shrugged his shoulders and addressed the pair. "Fine, suit yourself. My job is to keep things from coming out of that blasted gate, not going in. If you want to get your fool selves killed, be my guest." His face softened for a moment, and he said quietly, "But try not to die. I've seen enough dead men to last a life time."

Gillian smiled and grasped the man's hand. "Thank you, sir, I won't forget this."

The commander shook it briefly, then pulled away. "Alright, let's not get to friendly if you're going to be going through there. In two hours, the evening patrol will be making their way down to the Portal. They'll be you escort, at least until you reach it. For now, though, I'd get some rest."

Looking out on the scared land, Gillian's spirits began to drop. He had gone up to the wall and in the distance he could see, very faintly, the crater where the Portal lay. Gillian had come this far already, farther than he had ever been before, and was ready to keep moving forwards. But he couldn't rid himself of the subtle shade of doubt that followed in his footsteps. Could he really avenge Thomas's death and then go home? Would he even make it past the Portal? In truth, Gillian was afraid. Not of death, but of failure and of leaving his task unfinished. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He quickly turned, but then relaxed as he saw Valera standing there with him. She turned her gaze from the wasteland and her sapphire eyes focused on Gillian.

"If anyone can do this, Gillian... It's you."

Gillian smiled and they both looked out at the Portal once more. _Even if I'm failing, even if I fall... I'm not alone._

While the sun was hidden beneath the perpetual overcast, the sky noticeably darkened by the time Gillian and Valera had made their way down to the main gate. Here they met the patrol that was to lead them to the Portal. Gillian noticed these men looked grizzled and hardened, even compared to the rest of the keep's men. Each wore heavy armor, with keenly sharpened swords strapped to their backs. They assembled quickly and quietly started out. To them, it was a well rehearsed procedure, but Gillian struggled to keep up with their grueling pace. Valera, on the other hand, seemed to keep up without much trouble. By the time they had reached the crater, Gillian's hair was plastered to his forehead, dripping sweat. Climbing up to the edge, the patrol turned on their heels and headed back to the keep, leaving Gillian and Valera to stare in amazement at the sight below.

The Dark Portal, while simple in design, was still an intimidating sight. A massive ramp led up to the portal itself, made of stone but created with magic. On either side of the gateway stood two robed statues, rather like the one's Gillian had seen earlier that day. Above it was what looked like a coiled snake, waiting to strike. But still there was the gateway itself. A swirling green mass of magic and energy, it constantly moved and pulsed with dark power. This was truly a monument to behold. At it's foot multiple tents and barricades were nestled around the base of the ramp.

Taking a few more moments to stare in wonder, the pair made their way down the path that carved it's way through the crater's walls down to the camps. A few guards noticed them, but didn't take much note. Ever since the Portal had opened, more and more people had come to go through the gateway. A tall man, his face mostly obscured by a well-ornamented helmet, met them at the edge of the ramp.

"The name's Commander Netherwane. Lordenson sent ahead a message that you two wold be tagging along. You'll be going through with Nelson's squad, up on the ramp. They're going to reinforce the garrison on the far side, but you two will head straight for Gryphon Master Amish. All clear? Good."

Not even given a chance to speak, Gillian was pushed in the direction of the detachment of men. There was a constant bustle of activity, with soldiers moving here and there, shouting orders. Within the squad going through the Portal, however, there was a general air of excitement. From what Gillian could gather, most were new to this station, eager to see a whole new world. One was slightly more scarred than the rest, who approached Gillian, clearly annoyed. "Goddamn Relthorn, I'm not a damned maid here to play with little kiddies." He growled to himself. Stopping in front of Gillian, he stuck a large mailed finger in his face. "Listen, ye sniveling bastard, once we get through the Portal you're going where ye need to go and out of my sight."

"Y-yes sir!" Gillian stuttered, slightly taken aback, as Valera softly chuckled behind him. The man grunted and moved back with the squad. The two newcomers integrated themselves into the formation as it began to move up the ramp. Gillian watched the men around him as they slowly marched. Some were obviously frightened, while others shook with anticipation. The older, more experienced ones simply kept moving, their mouths locked in grim determination. The column stopped in front of the swirling gateway, and Gillian swallowed nervously. _This is it_, he thought to himself. There was complete silence for a few moments, with only the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance. Nelson took one step ahead of the group and yelled.

"Forward... March!"

Valera held tightly onto Gillian's arm as they moved ahead with the soldier's, who line by line passed through the vortex. Finally, it was there turn, and together they stepped through the Dark Portal.... and into Outland.

The moment they stepped through, Gillian was immediately disoriented. The silence from before was suddenly replaced by the sounds of explosions and conflict. Below him, battle raged as Horde and Alliance soldiers fought together against a foe Gillian nor Valera had ever personally seen before: Demons.

Grotesque and twisted, massive sword-wielding monstrosities fought brutally as huge, flaming boulders rained from the sky. Behind the battle stood a huge, winged.... thing, a creature more horrible than anything Gillian had ever witnessed. It's eyes were orbs of fel fire, and it seemed to belch forth more of the stuff. Tearing himself away from the bloody conflict, Gillian pulled Valera with him down the massive staircase to where he saw a gryphon standing. Barely stopping to acknowledge the dwarf standing next to it, he swung Valera and himself up, slapped the beast on the side and yelled frantically, "We need to get to Shattrath City, NOW!" The gryphon master simply held up a thumb and with a sweep of it's wings the gryphon rushed into the sky and away from the Portal.

After a few minutes of flight, the sounds of combat faded from Gillian's ears and he was fully able to observe his surroundings. This was literally a new world, and it was breathtaking yet terrifying at the same time. The sky was utterly alien, filled with new stars and even planets. Winding constantly through the blackness was a network of brilliant lights and energy, seemingly going on forever. All in all, it made Gillian feel very, very insignificant. _This is only one new world, and out there are thousands more.... _he thought numbly to 's thoughts mirrored his own, and her mouth hung open in a mix of shock and wonder. Regarding the land itself, it was very much like that in the Blasted Lands. A dull red color, barren and empty.

As they flew over what appeared to be an actual Alliance base, Gillian turned back towards Valera and asked, "Well... We're here now. Do you know what to expect when we get to this Shattrath City?" Valera, still captivated by the sky, slowly shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Gillian, but I really only know that it is a settlement of sorts, no specific information. In truth, nothing in a book could honestly tell what this world is like." she said apologetically.

Gillian turned back in his seat, and after a thought, took out the Book. Speaking almost to the book itself, he murmured, "Well, now you're here.... Where will you lead us next?" Shaking his head, he touched a recipe to for a quick bite to eat.

A short while later, Gillian noticed what seemed like ruins coming up in front of them. Urging the gryphon slightly away from it's path, he nudged it in the direction of the broken structures for a better look. There seemed to be things moving amongst the ruins, although he couldn't tell what. Carefully leaning over the creature's side, he tried to look down as they passed overhead.

Suddenly, a green bolt of energy shot towards them from one of the ruined buildings, heading straight at the gryphon. Before it could turn away from the blast, it hit the beast on the edge of it's wing, causing it to screech in pain. The gryphon then turned sharply, back on course, and threw Gillian from his seat. His eyes widened in shock as he started to fall, as Valera screamed in terror.

"_Gillian_!"

His mind filled with fear as he watched the gryphon fly away, despite Valera's pleas, as he fell towards the ground. He felt himself blacking out as the air rushed around him, and before the darkness closed around him, he thought _Well... At least I brought a good book with me._


	4. Chapter 4: New Friends and Foes

Goodness, I haven't had time to write for a while! Hello once again to you all, and salutations! Part four is a bit shorter than 3, but it keeps things moving along nicely. I finally got some time over the Easter break to get it down. Now I just need to get started on part five! Thanks for all the positive reviews so far, and for your continued reading. Now, when we last left off, Gillian was plummeting to his doom... what will become of him? Read to find out!

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Chapter 4: New Friends and Foes

* * *

_An endless void surrounded Gillian, reaching infinitely in every direction. He stood in the middle of it, scared and alone. "Hello?", he called, his voice trembling slightly. No response came, and the echos of his voice soon died away. He stared hopelessly into the blackness, when suddenly a deep voice addressed him from the void._**You hold the Book. You hold the Key. **_Gillian spun around, but saw no one. "Hello?! Who's out there?", he cried. Again, no reply came. He stood there for a moment, frantically search for the source of the voice. Suddenly, the void began to brighten and become a brilliant white light. _**It is not yet your time...**

**

* * *

  
**

The crackling of a fire and the smell of something cooking greeted Gillian as he groggily opened his eyes. His vision was still blurry, but he could tell his was in a structure of some sort, in the middle of which was the fire. He was laying on a makeshift cot, made from old scraps. Next to the flames stood a figure, shrouded in the shadows cast by the flame. Gillian struggled to prop himself up by his shoulders, and said in a shaky voice, "Thom...Thomas?". The figure jerked upright, and turned towards Gillian. Now bathed in the glow of the fire, the young cook could see that this was anything but his deceased mentor. The creature was wearing crude clothing, with a hood drawn over it's head. It's skin was a dark ashen grey, and seemed to be scarred and misshapen in places. Dangling from it's face were three tendrils, one shorter than the others. But what Gillian focused on were the creature's eyes, which seemed to be filled with a terrible amount of sadness. The creature stared at him for a moment, then turned back to whatever was cooking over the fire.

Curious, Gillian stood up from the bedding, wincing as he became aware of the multiple bruises and scrapes that he felt covered his body. He was still dressed in his clothing, but his belongs were not with them. Suddenly, his memories rushed back to him. The Portal, the gryphon, the fall.... Slowly approaching the figure, he cautiously asked, "Were you the one who helped me?" The figure froze, but did not turn around. Still facing the fire, it slowly nodded it's head. Gillian smiled and said, "Thank you. I fell from a great height, and I'm sure I would be dead without you. I am in your debt." The creature took in the information, then turned to the cook. Staring at Gillian, he slowly lifted a large, malformed hand and point at himself.

"De'rez"

Gillian looked puzzled and asked, "De'rez... is that your name?" The creature nodded slowly and gestured to the pot dangling of the fire. Understanding it's meaning, Gillian shook his head, "I appreciate it, but I'm fine. Tell me, what happened to me? And where are my things?". The creature did not answer, but merely gestured again, this time to a sack hanging on a staff in the corner. Gillian recognized his pack and walked over to retrieve it. Rooting through the bag, he pulled out his sword and clasped it to his belt. Digging further, he slowly pulled out the Book, causing him to sigh with relief. _Thank the light it's alright.._. He thought. Turning around, he looked again at De'rez, who was now staring at him curiously. "Well, thank you for retrieving my things as well, De'rez. But I have to ask, where are we?" His disfigured host continued to stare, then turned and headed out an opening in the wall. Standing in the portal, he looked over his shoulder at Gillian and beckoned him to follow.

Stepping outside, Gillian could see that the building they had been inside was part of a large ruin. It was the same that he had seen from the air, before being knocked from his mount. The other ruins were all the same dulled tan color, worn by age and neglect. Most were too crumbled to still be called buildings, but a select few still stood. From where the pair stood, Gillian could see one or two more of the same strange creatures as De'rez in the distance, who seemed to be working near the broken buildings. De'rez made a long, sweeping gesture at the ruins around them.

"This.... Sha'naar..."

Gillian looked at his hunched over companion. "This place was called Sha'naar, you mean?" De'rez nodded patiently as Gillian examined a nearby wall. Suddenly, a loud harsh noise rang through the air, reminiscent of a horn. Gillian looked around, confused, but De'rez's face grew pale and frightened. He grabbed Gillian by the arm and dragged him back into his hovel. The creature possessed a surprising amount of strength, despite his appearance. Gillian went along with him, but asked, "What's wrong? What was that sound?". De'rez simply held up a single finger in front of his mouth.

"Shhh...."

Gillian nodded and stood in silence as De'rez slowly lurched back outside. After staying still for a moment, he edged slowly to the doorway and looked out at were De'rez was waiting. He seemed tense, as if anticipating some dreadful event. Looking past his new host, he found the source of his dread. There, slowly hovering towards him at a bored pace, was a demon. It was a horrible thing, different from the ones he had previously witnessed. It had two wings on it's back, each ending with a cruel, curved spike. It's feet were cloven like hooves, and from it's head grew multiple black horns, each twisting off in different directions. But perhaps the oddest, and most terrifying, feature this new demon possessed was it's stomach. On it's chest was a huge mouth, with a pair of scarlet eyes glaring above it. The mouth itself was lined with wicked teeth, and was filled with a constantly burning pit of ghoulish fire. The long, blackened sword it carried was no comfort either.

As the demon reached the hovel, Gillian ducked back inside and slid to the floor, heart pounding. Outside, he heard the dread creature address De'rez in a loud, guttural voice. "I must be mad, because I don't see you working, Slave!", the thing roared at De'rez, who was cowering in fear. "De'rez, we have endless wretches like you to replace the dead, so pray you do not find yourself becoming the latter..." De'rez could only grovel at the demon's feet.

"Yes...Master..."

The flying monstrosity grunted, and slowly flew away from the crouching slave. De'rez stayed like that for a long time, then slowly stood back on his feet and headed towards the broken building. He walked though the doorway and stood there for moment before collapsing in front of Gillian, shivering. Gillian awkwardly bent over and comforted the creature, then helped him back onto his feet. When De'rez stopped shivering, Gillian quietly asked him, "Who... or what was that thing, De'rez?"

His companion slowly lifted his head so Gillian could see the fear still in his eyes, and in the same quiet voice simply said, "Arzeth....Master...". Gillian looked down at the sad creature, then outside at his kindred laboring in the distance. Suddenly, the situation was clear to him. De'rez and his brethren were slaves, forced to work under the whip of demon masters. Gillian felt pity for them, for no one deserved such a cruel fate.

However, a determined look appeared in De'rez's eyes as he looked up at Gillian. He spoke in a gravely tone, "You....Escape...I...Guide...". He then turned and headed back outside. Gillian nodded and followed him silently, not wanting to share his unfortunate fate.

Moving swiftly between the broken ruins, Gillian followed his companion as De'rez navigated through the various piles of rubble and debris. Once or twice Gillian saw one of the workers amidst the buildings, but De'rez paid them no mind, only focusing on the path ahead of them. After a short while of running, the ruins began to thin as they reached the outer edge of Sha'naar. De'rez called out, panting slightly, "Free....Soon....". But Gillian did not respond, as he was focused on a ruined wall a short distance in front of them. His heart filled with fear as he saw a fiend resembling the cruel slave master step out from around the edge of the wall, which slowly turned to gaze directly at the pair. De'rez took a step back as the demon drew itself to it's full height. It's stomach opened wide, and from the flaming depths a fearsome roar rose up. The fiend then raised it's sword and charged straight at Gillian.

Gillian and De'rez both turned on the spot and began to run from the rushing demon, but Gillian's heart began to sink further. The fiend was outpacing them, and was steadily gaining ground on the fleeing pair_. Think, damn it, think!_, Gillian thought in a panic. De'rez was obviously no warrior, and Gillian's skill with a sword was minimal at best. Looking back, he watched as the demon's mouth opened again as the monster roared in anticipation. Staring at the mouth, he suddenly had an insane idea. _Light, let this work.... _he silently prayed. As De'rez continued to run, Gillain suddenly spun around and held his ground. The demon grinned and let out a cry of victory as it bore down on the young cook. Gillian pulled out the Book and frantically flipped through it's pages. Finding the right page, he looked it over until he found the recipe he was searching for: Dragonbreath Chili. Stabbing a finger down on the recipe, he quickly picked up the bowl that appeared and, with all the strength he could muster, threw it hard into the oncoming demon's mouth.

"Bon appétit!"

The bowl flew true, and landed square in the demon's stomach. The mouth eagerly bit down on the chili, bowl and all, then swallowed with a sneering grin. But as the demon ran, the grin turned into a frown of confusion, and then a grimace of pain. The fiend slowed down and then stopped entirely as it grasped it's stomach. Letting out a roar of agony, it fell to it's knees and proceeded to vomit a sickly, viscous sludge onto the ground. Gillian turned to the astonished De'rez and screamed, "Now! _Run!_". The pair began to run in their original direction, right past the kneeling demon. The creature raised a hand in a weak attempt to stop them, but collapsed as another wave of goo rushed out of it's mouth. Soon, Gillian and De'rez were far from the demon, but they kept running until they left the ruins of Sha'naar behind them.

After a short walk across the barren red plain, the pair reached what seemed to the remains of a path, heading up towards a crest of hills. De'rez took the lead again, and they followed along this path from then on. Along the way, Gillian witnessed a few more examples of Outland's unique wildlife. As the path began to rise up with the hills, he noticed strange, quadrupedal creatures searching for food alongside the path. They were decidedly spiky, and looked slightly spider like in appearance. But his attention was dragged away from the creatures when they reached the top of the hill, from where he could now see a strange new land below him. It was still a distance off, but it looked as though it was some sort of massive marsh of bog, with what appeared to be titanic sized mushrooms growing everywhere. The soft hues of blue and green were a stark contrast to the harsh red land they were in now. De'rez walked up beside Gillian.

"This...Zangarmarsh...."

Gillian gazed out over the huge marsh, and then turned to De'rez. "Well, it's pretty enough, but where do we go from here?". De'rez merely shrugged, but suddenly turned around and began walking back the way they had came from. Gillian ran after him and stopped him. "Wait, were are you going? Aren't you coming with me?", he pleaded. His new friend looked up at him with mournful eyes and shook his head sadly.

"I....Broken....No place....For me...."

Gillian stared at him, not understanding, but De'rez merely sadly shook his head once more and turned away from him. Watching his companion go, Gillian felt more alone than he had ever felt before. Although he had only known De'rez for a short time, he had still proved to be a worthwhile companion. _First Valera, and now De'rez..._ Sighing deeply, Gillian turned back to the road and continued into the vast bog, continuing his once more solitary journey.

* * *

As Gillian entered Zangarmarsh, a steady rain began to fall, rolling down off of the giant mushrooms to the ground below. He pulled out his thick ebony cloak and put it on to keep the rain off of him, as well as the fog that had begun to form. Now comfortable, Gillian looked at his surroundings as he walked along a soggy path. Zangarmarsh was a much more pleasant place, with water everywhere and a calming blue color to everything. He could see small glowing lights dancing through the mist, some of which came from large gliding creatures. Even some of the massive mushrooms were glowing, creating an eerily beautiful effect. Dragging his focus back onto the path, he saw some sort of settlement coming up in the distance. Tired of his solitary hike, he hurried his pace to reach the outpost sooner.

The outpost was quite small, comprising of only four or five main buildings. Gillian walked through the archway that the path went under, and came up what seemed to be a large, oddly shaped tree. This was quite unusual, as there were no trees in Zangarmarsh, only large mushrooms. It was even stranger when the tree appeared to form eyes that stared down at Gillian. "Welcome, young human. What business have you in the Refuge?", the tree appeared to say, in a deep and ancient voice. Gillian was too shocked to respond, having never seen a talking tree before. The 'tree' let out a long laugh that sounded like rustling leaves, and bent over to address Gillian. "You might call me Keleth, Ancient of War. And you are...?".

Gillian fearfully looked into the tree's vast golden eyes and stuttered, "G-G-Gillain Koch, at your s-service!". The tree gave him time-worn stare, before pointing towards one of the larger buildings.

"See Ysiel, leader of the Refuge. She will guide you further." The tree then stiffened, and looked like a simple, normal tree once more. Gillian resisted the urge to give it a prod, and continued on into the camp. Most of the inhabitants of the Refuge seemed to be night elves, clad in leather armor, although he also spotted what looked like a tauren. He only received short glances before the watchers returned to their duties. Entering the building Keleth had specified, Gillian went up a winding staircase to discover a small, faintly lit balcony that overlooked the marshes. Presently, a tall Night Elf was looking out over the swamp, seemingly unaware of Gillian's presence. But as Gillian took another step forward, the elf woman spoke.

"You know me, human, but I do not know you. I think an introduction is needed."

She turned, revealing a fairly attractive elf, with delicate facial features and long hair that was an odd shade of blue. The Elf gave Gillian a small bow and said, "Ysiel Windsinger, leader of the Cenarion Expedition. May I ask who it is I am addressing?". Slightly flustered, Gillian gave her a small bow.

"Gillian Koch, apprentice chef."

Ysiel gave him a warm smile and asked, "Gillian, then. What brings an apprentice chef all the way out to our outpost? I believe our kitchens are well staffed already."

"Well..."

The elven leader listened quietly as Gillian gave a detailed description of his journey so far, from his passing through the Dark Portal to his fall from the gryphon. The woman's face remained passive, with her gently resting a slim finger on her lip as he told of his flight from Sha'naar. When he had finished, Ysiel gently began tapping her chin as she spoke. "My, that's quite a tale. You're quite lucky to even be alive.". Gillian nodded gratefully, and she continued with a smile. "The name Valera does ring a bell though. A short while ago, a young elf woman stopped here before flying on her way. She seemed shaken, and said she was heading to Shattrath City. If this is your friend, I assume that is your destination as well?" Gillian returned her smile.

"Exactly so, ma'am, that's where I'm headed.". Hearing that Valera had been unharmed considerably brightened Gillian's mood. Ysiel tapped her chin thoughtfully again.

"Well, unfortunately we have no gryphons stationed here at the moment, so flying is out of the question. However, I may be able to provide an alternative. To the south of here is a body of water known as Umbrafen Lake. If you wish, I can alert my boatman there to allow you safe passage across the lake. From there, it's only a brief walk deeper south into Terokkar Forest, where Shattrath City is located. Does that sound satisfactory?"

Gillian practically hugged her as he enthusiastically replied, "That would be amazing! At the very least, it's more than I expected." Ysiel laughed at his enthusiasm, and dropped a hand on his shoulder. "That will work fine, then. I'll send the message now, so you can leave as soon as you are ready."

* * *

A few hours later, Gillian found himself standing on a dock on top of Umbrafen Lake. It hadn't been a far walk from the Refuge, and was mostly uneventful. Ysiel had wished him the best of luck, but was forced to tend to her own duties. On the dock stood another elf, this one a slightly more grizzled looking male with a tear in his left ear. He beckoned Gillian onto a small wooden craft tied to the dock, then stepped on after him after untying the rope. "Ysiel said you'd be coming this way. I'm to take you across the lake?". Gillian nodded politely, and the elf grinned at him. "No worries, this should be easy sailing."

The small boat glided along the still waters, the surface of which reflected all the different glowing creatures around it's shore. Gillian quite liked it out on the boat, where things were peaceful and quiet. Small insects glided across the surface as the boatman gently pushed the oar through the water, propelling the vessel along. But as they reached the middle of the lake, the boat began to shake, seemingly on it's own. "What's happening?", Gillian asked nervously. The elf frowned, confused.

"Not a clue, never seen it do this before...."

Suddenly, the shaking became more severe, and the water around them seemed to become more harsh. Gillian looked over the boat in time to see a few small shapes dart under the boat. Understanding dawned in the boatman's eyes, and with it a hint of fear. "Oh damn!", he yelled, "The frenzy's are chewing at the boat!" The elf tried to hit the swarm of fish with his paddle, but it did nothing to help. Gillian could only watch helplessly as multiple leaks sprung in the base of the boat. "I don't understand, they've never been this aggressive before!". The water continued to rise, and the boat began to sink further. "That's all she can take... we're going down!". With one last wet sound, the boat sank beneath the surface, taking Gillian and the elf with it.

_Can't...breath... _Gillian struggled to swim to the surface, but the pitch black water disoriented him. His air running out, he began to feel lightheaded and felt the familiar tendrils of unconsciousness take hold of him. _I'm beginning to make a habit of this,_ he thought darkly.


End file.
